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Bahamas Law Enforcement Sports Challenge just days away!
Jan 6, 2012 - 12:12:41 PM

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Freeport, Bahamas -
For the first ever Bahamas Law Enforcement Sports Challenge, an ‘Olympic Games’-style "international sports event " for Law Enforcement (including Police, Fire & Border Control officers), homage will be paid to local sports legends.  

In a similar vein to the World Police & Fire Games, recently held in New York City, the Bahamas Law Enforcement Games will encompass a wide variety of sporting events that will test the physical & mental athletic skills of the competitors. Sporting events will include – among others – basketball, soccer, football, boxing, softball, and open-water swimming. Awards for various competitions will be named in honor of local legends in the respective field. Proposed honorees include Gladstone ‘Moon’ McPhee’ for his contributions to basketball, and Jimmy Lee for his contributions to softball.  

This 5-day event, headed by Ms. Shawn Thomas, has garnered the support of The Bahamas’ Ministry of Tourism & Aviation, and Ministry of National Security as well as the United States Embassy, the Florida Police & Fire Games, and Bahamas Celebration (including discounted rates for travel during that time). The Bahamas Weekly has also joined on as a media partner with the event assist in getting the word out. Talks are also underway with The Bahamas’ Ministers of Education, and Youth, Sports & Culture. The event opens January 18, 2012 and will be hosted by Grand Lucayan Resort.  

The following is a message by the event organizer, Shawn B. Thomas:

The Bahamas Law Enforcement Sports Challenge
has Three Objectives:

1. To Remember - the men and women who gave their lives while serving in law enfor cement

2. To Express Appreciation for the men and women who have answered the call to service

3. To Invest in young men and women who will serve in the future.

Since it's inception, the spirit of love, service and unity was evident in this venture. As we gathered input from the various agencies, the mutual respect and  fierce rivalry was evident. Together, it was decided to hold the first Olympic style Games in The Bahamas in Grand Bahama Island  WHY? "because our "brothers and sisters there can use the help". This help being the show of support with their presence and economically.

We initially planned promote twelve games and to  invite their law enforcement fraternity from more than twenty six countries. The Ministry of Tourism played and continues to play an integral role with the development of these Games. A team visited the World Police and Fire Games and witnessed 17,000 athletes competing  in 49 sports. 

We reached out to the founders and planners of the Florida Police and Fire Games and expressed our intention of staging our own version of the Games here in the Bahamas and in Grand Bahama Island in particular. They advised us to first of all assess which sports Can be accommodated on the island. They also cautioned us that they have been doing this for over thirty years and there is a tremendous amount of planning involved. Convinced with our enthusiasm, competent coordinators,  the marvels of technology, and the wisdom to consult with experience; Mike Casey and Jolene Coats came onboard as Advisors.

The enthusiasm with which we were welcomed in Grand Bahama Island was contagious! What started out as twelve sports swelled to almost forty and settled down eventually to more than twenty sports being co-ordinated by international standard organizers like Terry Wildgoose for Soccer, Basketball and Slow-Pitch Softball, Burt Bell with Triathlon, Swimming, Cycling, Paul Sands with Billiards/Pool, Christopher Lewis with Golf,,,Celebration Cruiseline came onboard with amazingly discounted travel from West Palm Beach. Our Title Sponsor, Grand Lucaya  is offering great rates along with the other member hotels of the Grand Bahama Tourism Promotion Board. Bahamasar has special rates secured for those traveling for the Games. Sky Bahamas has been generous as well. Sawyers Fresh Market has offered to provide Water and Ice throughout the Games and co-sponsor the Community Fun Run/Walk. Port Lucaya Marketplace will treat the athletes to a Bahamian Cultural Extravaganza; Robbin Whachell and The Bahamas Weekly has reached out to us with 24/7 advice and Media Sponsorship, and Bahamas Local has agreed to partner with us. Paul Sands is offering the use of four of his pool tables, lighting, officials...the list goes on and on..The Florida Police and Fire Games is sponsoring Arm-wrestling, Terry Goldsmith is providing the boxing ring.

The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture are providing the equipment for Track and Field and their full support with reaching out the the various sporting associations on our behalf. All of this with the untiring efforts of Tyrone Sawyer, and his angel team in Nassau and Karen Seymour, Terrance Roberts and Rosalyn's,both formidable teams from the Ministry of Tourism.

With appreciating the service of others resonating throughout the planning of these events, the law enforcement officers expressed their desire to honor the persons in the community who have served in the various sports. This was immediately embraced and names were put forth.

We have the following Honourees:

                        Oriel Knowles - Volleyball

                        Gladstone "Moon" McPhee - Basketball

                        Burt Bell - Triathlon

                        Terry Goldsmith - Boxing

                        Calvin "Coops" Cooper - Golf

                        Bernard "Spinks" Rolle - Power-lifting

                        Allan Murray - Swimming - Indoor

                        Robbie Butler - Swimming - Open Water

                        Paul Sands - Billiards/Pool

                       Jimmy Lee   - Softball

                       Keith Major - Cycling

                       Donnie Knowles - Soccer


Expressing admiration and appreciation, even in the midst of these challenging times(both socially and financially) is to invest in a healthier and brighter future for all of us.

 With regards to our international invitations, Brazil and their Soccer Team have been communicating with us has signed on for next year. The UK's boxing team and the Cayman Islands have also responded that they will be on board the next time around. With the time drawing near, barring any impulsive decisions from individual athletes, our Games will predominantly be our law enforcement officers, the Police, Fire, Defense Force, Customs and Immigration competing and strengthening the bonds that already exist between them as they serve their respective communities. 

This is a Good Thing. All of the cliches, including "Charity begins at home" hold an element of truth that we resonate with. Loving our neighbor as we love ourselves is the Way and certainly the solution to the challenges that we are confronted with in our homes, communities, countries and globally.

I would simply like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to serve this process in whatever way I can and I invite each of you to participate to the extent that you can,

Sincerely,
Shawn


Online registration is still open, and can be accessed by:

 

For more information, please contact Shawn Thomas ( shawnbthomas@gmail.com ) or Rosalyn Pinder ( rpinder@bahamas.com ) via e-mail or at 350-8600.



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